TIME: "The Top 10 Most Overplayed Wedding Songs"

[JamesG]

Top 10 Overplayed Wedding Songs
Aug. 3, 2010

Wedding season is in full swing — which means you'll be hearing your fair share of predictable first-dance songs. Even Chelsea Clinton couldn't escape the cliché curse, having picked Etta James' "At Last" for her initial whirl.

TIME takes a look at predictable reception tunes:






1. 'At Last' by Etta James









Etta James' 1961 cover of 'At Last' — which, by the way, was originally a song from the musical Orchestra Wives — is one of the most romantic songs ever recorded.

But, let's be honest, it's also pretty sappy and overplayed (as anyone who watched President Obama's inaugural party can attest): "My lonely days are over/ And life is like a song."

Really, Etta? Your life was meaningless until you found a man? O.K., fine. We'll give you a pass just this one time. After all, it is your wedding day. And this song makes us happy inside.













2. 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong








Like it or not, love tends to make everything more colorful. Suddenly, trees are supergreen, roses are red and the skies are as blue as blue can be.

(There are clouds, but they're the wistful, fluffy kind, and definitely not signs of a coming storm.)


It's only natural that the hyper-optimistic 'What a Wonderful World' be played at celebrations of love. And who doesn't like Louis Armstrong?

But on the happy couple's special day, it sounds more stereotypical than, well, special. And besides, everything's not always perfect, even on one's wedding day.


Like, who brought that baby that cried during the entire ceremony?
And why is Uncle Joe hitting on the bridesmaids?
And ...













3. 'I Only Have Eyes for You' by the Flamingos








It's certainly one of the most recognizable doo-wop songs ever. 'I Only Have Eyes for You' was made famous by the Flamingos in 1959.

With its slow, almost dirgelike tempo, it's the slowest of slow-dance songs. Reverb-heavy and echoey to the point that it seems to have been recorded in a cavern, 'I Only Have Eyes' is also surely one of the creepiest wedding songs ever played.


It sounds like a song you'd hear if you got trapped in a high school gymnasium at night and were witness to a ghostly re-creation of some long-ago prom.

Despite that, it is apparently a very in-demand first-dance tune.













4. 'Unchained Melody' by the Righteous Brothers








The Righteous Brothers' 1965 hit 'Unchained Melody' evokes thoughts of passion, love and ... Demi Moore. In case you've forgotten, the song was used in the sensual pottery scene of the 1990 film Ghost.

In fact, the movie was so popular that it sent 'Unchained Melody' to the top of Billboard's adult-contemporary chart for two weeks that year.

And now it's used over and over again at weddings — ghost-free weddings.













5. 'From This Moment On' by Shania Twain








It's fitting that many men and women dance their first steps as husband and wife to Shania Twain's 'From This Moment On'.

After all, the song lyrics basically read like wedding vows: "I give my hand to you with all my heart/ Can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start/ You and I will never be apart/ My dreams came true because of you."


Note to any brides or grooms out there who may be struggling to write their own vows: Simply repeat after Shania. She went and did all the heavy lifting.













6. 'The Way You Look Tonight' by Frank Sinatra








Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields' 1936 song 'The Way You Look Tonight' is without a doubt one of the most romantic songs ever written, thanks to both a beautiful melody and pitch-perfect lyrics.

As such, it has been recorded by all the greats — Frank Sinatra, of course, as well as Ella, Billie and (insert favorite artist here).




But originally, and long before it was used in My Best Friend's Wedding, it was Fred Astaire's in Swing Time. He's singing to Ginger Rogers, who's in the next room shampooing her hair.

Sure, he doesn't realize this until after he's serenaded her, and she runs away embarrassed, but there's wisdom in this humorous scene. After all, the loveliness in the song isn't about an elaborate dress or hairdo, but rather a warm smile and a soft cheek, a word and a laugh.



Granted, a wedding would presumably be a time for all those attractive features to shine through. But 'Tonight' is that much more romantic when it's referring to a seemingly unremarkable evening shared by two lovers and felt spontaneously — no wedding necessary.













7. 'Amazed' by Lonestar








Lonestar figured out a successful formula early on: write a song that will make all the girls swoon — swoon all the way to the record store.

And, of course, those same women who fall all over themselves for the country crooners who sing "I'm so in love with you/ It just keeps getting better/ I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side" want to play the song at their weddings too.


It's just too bad for the husband-to-be because, even though he may think his bride is amazing, he probably can't express it quite as eloquently.













8. 'Wonderful Tonight' by Eric Clapton








A simple song about arriving at a party with the most beautiful woman imaginable, 'Wonderful Tonight' has long been a first-dance staple at wedding receptions.

Eric Clapton wrote the song in 1976 while waiting for his girlfriend, Pattie Boyd, to get ready for a party.




Clapton and Boyd had a history. Six years earlier, he'd written 'Layla', one of the most iconic love songs of all time, about his unrequited crush during Boyd's marriage to his friend, Beatles' guitarist George Harrison.

'Wonderful Tonight' also revealed the dark side of Clapton's relationship. The song's narrator has too much to drink and has to be carried home by his unnamed love.

But all's well that ends well, because through his aching head, the narrator tells his love twice, "Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight." Many recently wedded couples agreed.













9. 'It Had to Be You' by Harry Connick Jr.








Blame When Harry Met Sally. This song's appearance at the 1989 romantic comedy's climax ("I've been doing a lot of thinking, and the thing is, I love you.") forever solidified it in the hearts of lovers everywhere.


Long an old reliable in the great American songbook, 'It Had to Be You' has been covered by everyone from Billie Holiday to Frank Sinatra.

For the When Harry Met Sally soundtrack, director Rob Reiner tapped Harry Connick Jr. to sing almost a dozen standards, including a version of 'It Had to Be You' that has been played at hundreds of thousands of weddings since.

Couples likely take comfort in the line, "With all your faults, I love you still." That sentiment has probably kept more marriages together than any set of official vows could.













10. 'Unforgettable' by Nat King Cole








This song was huge in the 1990s.

Originally sung in the early '50s by Nat King Cole, it saw a massive resurgence in popularity following a rerecording that made the tune into a duet between Cole and his daughter Natalie.



The winner of Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 1992 Grammy Awards, 'Unforgettable' is often played at some point in wedding receptions.

If it's not the first dance, the song is co-opted for the father-daughter or mother-son dance, which is totally more appropriate given the fact that it's sung by a parent and a child and any romantic connotations would be completely inappropriate.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/pa...008243,00.html

[catlover79]

Yeah, I have to agree with that list. My sister's first dance at the wedding was with my dad and they played "The Way You Look Tonight", but it wasn't the Sinatra version or the Tony Bennett version, etc. It was Steve Tyrell's cover from 1991's Father of the Bride. Very appropriate in that case, I should say.

My sister and brother-in-law's first dance was to Kenny Loggins' "For the First Time". If I ever get married, I want my first dance with my dad to be to the Temptations' "My Girl" - which is probably another overplayed wedding song, but so what - it's one of my favorite songs of all time. I want my first dance with my husband to be to Donny Hathaway's "For All We Know", found below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEHRrMYqmI4

[Dr. Jazz]

I would like to add "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith and "Here and Now" by Luther Vandross to that list lol

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jazz

I would like to add "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith and "Here and Now" by Luther Vandross to that list lol

I like Aerosmith a lot, but I never cared for that particular song. I do really like "Here and Now", even though I do agree it is a way overplayed wedding song. Did you know that Dionne Warwick's son wrote that song?

[HuntingtonM15]

Originally Posted by JamesG

2. 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong

I know it's a classic, but I have never enjoyed this song.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by HuntingtonM15

I know it's a classic, but I have never enjoyed this song.

I think it's OK, but overrated and WAY overplayed.

[MickeyMac]

Someone played Aerosmith at my wedding, I'd make sure they would regret it.

[MrCleveland]

I have to add one song too....

"Butterfly Kisses" Bob Carlisle....



PS-You may want to edit #6, it's not up anymore...but here's one....



PPS-IF I ever get married (which will be never), this is one song I'd like to play....

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Someone played Aerosmith at my wedding, I'd make sure they would regret it.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by MrCleveland

PS-You may want to edit #6, it's not up anymore...but here's one....

Thanks for noticing that.. I put your link up above.

The youtube vids I embedded are the ones that were put in the original article.

[catlover79]

I think the problem with "Unchained Melody" is that the RB's version is the only one ever played (at least on mainstream radio). My personal favorite version of the song is the live version performed by Heart in 1980.



A similar song the RB did to "UM" was "Ebb Tide", which is not nearly played as much - and still has that waltzy, dreamy vibe. My dad said the DJ played "Ebb Tide" at his last HS reunion.

[JamesG]

^ just wondering, why don't you embed your vid links?

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by JamesG

^ just wondering, why don't you embed your vid links?

I tried - how do you do it? Tell me how, then I'll go back and edit the post.

[JamesG]

^ let me know if you need more help.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by JamesG

^ let me know if you need more help.

Thanks again for the help!!!